GIELGUD JOHN ARTHUR

English actor and director. Known as one of the greatest performers of roles Shakespeare′s repertoire. He played many roles in theatrical productions of plays Chekhov, Sheridan, Shaw, Kongriva. Appeared in the film "Julius Caesar," "Richard III", "Murder in the Orient Express," "Providence," "Caligula," "Arthur" (Oscar), "Gandhi" and etc.

Close kinship ties associated with the famous John Gilguda theater "clan" Terry. He - great-nephew of Ellen, Marion and Fred Terry, Kate Terry own grandson once removed and nephew of Gordon Craig. Gilguda grandfather was an Englishman, but married a Pole, daughter of a once famous actress Ashperger. Son of Adam Gilguda followed the example of his father and also has a wife of the actor′s environment, but not from Poland, and from the English. He married the daughter of actress Kate Terry, sister of the famous mother, Ellen. From this marriage April 14, 1904 was born John Arthur, the future Sir John Gilgud.

In childhood Gilgud painted decorations, and dreamed of becoming a theater artist. "I was loose on the theater - he wrote later Gilgud. - I was hoping that I can go in the footsteps of my uncle once removed, Gordon Craig, son of Ellen Terry, books and drawings that he admired me. "

When it came time to enter the University of Oxford, Gilgud failed, but has successfully passed the entrance examination in the theatrical school Lady Benson.

"University" Gilguda steel scaffolding various theaters. In 1921, he first stepped on stage Old Vic, which has played a small role herald in Shakespeare′s "Heinrich V". Six months later, Gilgud got his first engagement. Phyllis Nielsen, Terry (once removed aunt) decided to support relatives and invited him to tour with the touring play Feige "Wheel. "

Soon, being a disciple of the Royal Academy of Theatrical Arts, Gilgud due to worries the mother was invited to participate in the play "From the Life of Insects" Чапек brothers, produced by the Pleyferom at London′s Theater "The Regent".

Upon completion of the Academy Gilgud was adopted by the company, which gained for Feige Oxford Theater Pleyhaus. Nearest season, it held in the famous university town. The young actor playing in a play Kongriva, Sheridan, Wilde, Ibsen, Shaw, Chekhov, Pirandello, Singapore.

In 1924, Gilgud returned to London. Large English director Sir Barry Jackson, the risk of inviting him to a major role in Romeo and Juliet.

Photo — «Gielgud John Arthur»

" Critics defeated, mainly by the age of the actor. Devyatnadtsatiletny Romeo at the London stage - it was a rare case!

Gilgud played in commercial theaters in London′s West End, went to tour tour of England and abroad, has been invited to the company "Old Vic". He used to work with distinguished directors: Grenvill-Barker, Tyrone Guthrie, Fyodor Komissarzhevskaya.

In 1924, the first meeting with Gilguda Chekhovskoi playwrights - he received an invitation to play Petyu Trofimov in "cherry garden. The play put the well-known producer Feige at Oxford, he elicited the interest and was then transferred to London. A year later, Constantine Trepleva Gilgud played in "The Seagull" by A. Filmer put in the "Arts tietr.

From the outset Gilgud has established itself as an actor emotionally. Extensive experience, a strong sense of disclosure given to him relatively easily. However, movement, plastic remained his weak side, and brought him disappointing.

Gilgud understand the need to improve. He never included the lack of success due to some external circumstances, bad luck. Perhaps no actor of his generation did not work on such a determination, as John Arthur.

In 1929, Gilgud all, accepted the invitation of the leadership of the ′Old Vik. The first two seasons were for Gilguda under very strenuous creative force. It began an intensive and in-depth "entry" in Shakespeare. Within a few months Gilgud played the role of Romeo ( "Romeo and Juliet"), Richard III ( "Richard III"), Oberon (A Midsummer Night′s Dream "), Macbeth, Hamlet, Orlando (As You Like It" ;), Antony (Antony and Cleopatra "), Hotspera (" Henry IV "), Benedict (" Much Ado About Nothing "), Malvolio (Twelfth Night), Prospero (" Storm ") King Lear. In parallel Gilgud performed several roles in stage plays, Moliere, and Shaw.

Since the first years of work on stage Gilgud shot in five films. The first - "Who is this man?" Has been filming "Daniel", which Sarah Bernhardt was last performed in London. The play centered around the image of Daniel, maniac-morfinista that and played Gilgud. The second of his films was Edgar Wallace thriller "Enigma of the new pins, and a third," Insult, "was filming the play, Jan Fabritsiusa (this was his first sound film). In 1930-1940′s filmed Gilgud rare.

Working in the Theater "Old Vic" made it "Shakespearean" actor.

Photo — «Gielgud John Arthur»

At home, he was famous as Richard III. Young actor, even a talented, rarely managed to escape from the influence of "gilgudizma. Michael Redgrave, in his book about the theater remembers, for example, on the exhausting struggle with the impact of Gilguda through which he had to pass, when he worked on the role of Richard III. Eventually he was able to overcome this effect, but not completely, ". . . much and left - said Redgrave - what I am and what is not going to change. For example, Gilgud with the glitter of phrase and Richard intone it in the fight scene, when he casteth Bolingbroka and Moubreya that I do not see how this could be done better. "

International fame has Gilgudu Hamlet. For the first time he played the role of the Danish prince, when he was just twenty-five years. In the theater dominated the ancient belief that the young actor with Hamlet not cope.

Voice Gilguda is considered one of the "miracles" of English theater. "Miracle" is - the result of enormous labor, especially labor intellectual. The actor has never allowed a technician to take power over them. In his performance of "Hamlet", despite the astronomical number of shows played, technology is not suppressed creativity.

Playing performance in the twentieth, fiftieth, hundredth time, he, according to contemporaries, played it like the first time. Hamlet in performance Gilguda was not just a good work of a distinguished artist. He was a phenomenon of the era, the role of generation. His Hamlet - refined, elegant, located in the deep of sympathy with himself, expressed his sentiments generation of "lost" or "deceived" the situation after the First World War.

For Gilgudom established fame of one of the best Shakespearean actors of our time. It was the year that Gilgud not played one, two, three Shakespearean roles. He played in the Old VÄ«Ä·e "in Stratfordskom theater in the West End theaters, made the tour of the British province, appeared in the major theaters in Europe and America. British critics like to say that Gilgud "reviews of all of Shakespeare. "

In 1934, Alexander Korda invited him to play the role of Hamlet in a movie. Gilgud rejected this proposal because I think film is not enough expressive means to display the roles of the works of Shakespeare. However, later he regretted about it.

In 1935, Lawrence Olivier Gilgud offered the role of Romeo in the production, leaving a role of Mercutio.

Photo — «Gielgud John Arthur»

The play was a great success, but Gilgud and Olivier were not completely satisfied. Lacked the poetry of Romeo, Mercutio has been deprived of the necessary dynamism, energy, flexibility. After six weeks they have exchanged roles. The play has won. Never has Romeo and Juliet did not have such success on the London stage. 189 nights in succession the audience hall was filled New tietr "to listen to the voice Gilguda, sounding as if not from the scene, but from somewhere far away. And beautiful Shakespearean verse that sailed in the air and tayali in height. World Gilguda - Romeo was the world of poetry and love. As one English critic observed, "it saw in Romeo monologue about Queen MAB much more than could have imagined Mercutio. " Cross the English theater historian, wrote that Gilgud was the best of the twenty-Romeo, that he had seen on stage. And with that, no one argued.

In 1936 Gilgud again met with Komissarzhevskaya, which asks "Seagull" in New tietr. Gilgud received Trigorina role. At this time, joint work resulted in well-deserved success.

Chekhov′s dramaturgy and directing Komissarzhevskaya Gilguda learned a lot. "In the twenties and thirties of the work on Chekhov, - remembers Gilgud - was to us as if opening a new form, just as in recent years, young actors are opening a new form of drama" theater of absurdity. "

Gilgud told that Komissarzhevskaya taught him "not to pursue the obvious effects and showy theatricality, not the temptation to show off and play" inside ", that is to disclose the nature of the character and vzhyvaju into the atmosphere and the overall color of the play. Prior to working with Komissarzhevskaya, - said Gilgud - I always beat on the effect vpadaya in the romantic, the hysterical tone, and even in such roles as Diane Anthony in the "Great God Brown" and Konstantin yap in Chekhovskaya "Seagull", depicts the young izdergannyh people look little different from myself. "

In May 1940, Gilgud first played Prospero in Shakespeare′s "Bure" theater of the "Old Vic". Gilgud began with the fact that destroyed the stable association of "old age - wisdom. " His Prospero was wise, but not old. On the contrary, Gilgud played a man in the prime of physical and spiritual strength. His Prospero lost their homes, power, wealth, position, but retained the strength, will and energy. The image created by the actor, it was something that the theater critic the Daily Telegraph described as "defiant insolence.

Photo — «Gielgud John Arthur»

" "How else, - he wrote, - can be called human behavior, which, being deprived of his dukedom, is beginning to govern the spirits of nature, treating them with, as lackeys. "

The production played in the year of Dunkirk and the fall of France. And not in vain theater columnist The Times wrote that the "Storm" in the "Old VÄ«Ä·e" which is closer to today′s needs than any drama with the crackling drum battle, because it helps to collect thoughts and feelings run the British in some profound unity. "

The first time Gilgud played Lear in 1930 in the Theater "Old Vic". The actor was unacceptable to young for this role: the twenty-six years. On the actor who managed to convey the power of Shakespeare′s Lear, the English critics say: "Yes, that oak!" Critics believed that gilgudovsky Lear "is not yet an oak, but still found in his work" is something promising. "

Ten years later, in the spring of 1940, Tyrone Guthrie, who stood at the head of the theater when "Old Vic", Gilgudu invited once again to try their hand at "Lira". Setting performance invited Grenvill-Barker. Perhaps his Lear in 1940 was the most balanced. The King and the people appear to set up his character in the exact measure. Acquired the necessary strength, and no one dared to say that he "had not yet quite an oak. "

Not Gilgud stayed on the sidelines and from attempts to screen Shakespeare. True, this happened after the war. In 1952 he accepted an invitation to Hollywood of Metro-Goldvin-Mayer, "to participate in screening" Julius Caesar. " In this movie he filmed in the role of Cashier. In addition, he performed the role of the Duke of Clarence in the famous film Laurence Olivier "Richard III".

The merits of John Arthur Gilguda have been an English queen. In 1953, the actor received the title of knight.

Like many talented actors whose lives are entirely focused on the theater, Gilgud soon began to feel the desire to directing. Even very young man he put "Romeo and Juliet" in the Oxford Dramatic Society. In 1932, he has been entrusted with staging "Venetian Merchant" on stage "Old Vic". As in their work actor, director Gilgud-tended to the classics, and especially to Shakespeare. At various times in various theaters, he has "Macbeth," "Much Ado About Nothing, Twelfth Night, Romeo and Juliet," "King Lear," "Richard III", etc.

Photo — «Gielgud John Arthur»

. Many of these tragedies and comedies, he raised a number of occasions. For example, the famous four productions of his comedy "Much Ado About Nothing. "

Of course, not exclusively Gilgud "Shakespearean" director. He put Kongriva, responsible, and Sheridan, Wilde and Moema, plays contemporary playwrights, including Anuyya and Graham Green. Nevertheless, work on the classics and Shakespeare forms a major part of his directing skills.

"When I put the play and the play in it - told Gilgud - I always do so: on tour in the province of the trial, before we arrive in London, I develop the role of all parties to the smallest detail, but their role will bring only in general terms. This suffers from several audience and, perhaps, the play. But this is inevitable. Meanwhile, I rehearsed with alternates, forcing him to work on the role of parts and within a few weeks after the start of the tour like the extra rehearsals, which holds all the understudy role entirely. "

In 1954 Gilgud set "Cherry Orchard. " In so doing, he abandoned the traditional Constance Garnett translation of the play and created a new, more "conversational" option. The play soon became closer to the present Chekhova.

By the end of fifties Gilgud felt an insurmountable desire to bring Shakespeare to their order, summarize the experience, stock. Thus arose the famous Shakespeare′s conception of the "age of man. "

For its program Gilgud chose sixty Shakespearean excerpts from an anthology of Professor D. Raylenda. They were sonnets and monologues from various tragedies, comedies and historical chronicles. Romeo, Richard III, Cassio, Otello, Hamlet, Prospero, Lear - this is not an exhaustive list of the images displayed the actor in "human Century. " All the critics, writing about the play, pointed out the amazing transformation skill demonstrated Gilgudom.

He showed his Shakespeare program in London in July 1959. "century of human" reopened "tietr Queen", which was bombed during the Second World War. The play aroused tremendous interest among the audience and delight, mixed with the confusion in the ranks of theater critics. Gilgud read brilliantly. One of the critics to attack the enthusiasm he called it "the greatest living virtuosos of reading" that "has no equal outside the House of Molière. However, even within the walls, too. "

"Cherry Orchard" in 1961, which played Gilgud Gajevi, had a direct relationship with the setting of 1954.

Photo — «Gielgud John Arthur»

However, Saint-Denis and Gilgud radically revised the traditional British concept of the play. They completely abandoned the old understanding of the play as a tragicomedy, in the center of which are brother and sister, have no power to look in their eyes to reality and to break with the past. Even Lopahin overshadowed the second plan. Ideological emphasis shifted Performance. "key" characters were Anya and Trofimov.

Permanent contact with Chekhovskoi playwrights caused Gilguda keen interest in Chekhov′s oeuvre as a whole, the personality and the human fate of the great Russian writer. Gilgud re all Chekhov prose that exists in the English translation, see the memoirs of contemporaries Chekhova.

In 1968, Chekhov Gilgud created an image in a television show based on the play by L. Malyugin "mockingly my happiness. "

"I′m getting old, - said Gilgud. - So I, of course, difficult to suppress a well-known passion for the theater of my youth and dissatisfaction changes that modernity has caused and will inevitably cause in all branches of the theater business. But I learned a lot and, hopefully, more to learn from younger generations of playwrights, directors and especially the actors with whom I now for the first time encounter. "

In 1960 the actor, whose game had already seemed old-fashioned, take up the contemporary repertoire, playing a role in Harold Pinter plays, and Graham Green. "And on the stage and beyond, I suffer from three flaws - excessive impulsiveness, shyness, and indifference to everything that is not directly related to me or to the theater," - said Gilgud.

It is increasingly be in the films. Gilgud glittering in Lynch films, Wajda, Greenaway, Attenboro, Alain Rene. "The theater is too tiring for my age - he lamented. - Playing a movie is not so tedious, so I have 70 years to concentrate on it. " During its more than half a creative life Gilgud John managed to pull in 88 feature and television films, among which more than 20 - in the Shakespearean theme.

Moviegoer remembered for his roles in the films "Murder in the Orient Express" (1974), "Joseph Andrews" (1976), "Providence" (1977), "Caligula" (1977), "Elephant Man" ( 1980), "Conductor" (1980), "Gandhi" (1982). In 1981, John Gilgud received Oscar for her role kinokomedii butler in "Arthur. " The audience could see him later in the movie "Abundance," "Prospero Books.

Photo — «Gielgud John Arthur»

After a ten-year break Gilgud in 1988, returned to the stage in London West End. His last role was brilliantly performed the role of the Old Prospero in Shakespeare′s "Bure" staged by Peter Greenaway.

Gilgud continued to appear on the TV screen. He was grandfather of Scarlett O′Hara in the TV series on the novel "Gone with the Wind" (1994) Margaret Mitchell. Sir John believed that he played superbly in the television series "Rendezvous with Braydshed", attended by million viewers.

14 April 1994 Sir Gilgud celebrated its 90 th birthday. "This is a happiness that I can still work - said this tough loner. - All friends die before me. This is very disappointing. There are only acting job, and my great old house in Bakingempshire - the only place on earth where there is peace. " He gave up a solemn anniversary ceremony in Westminster Abbey. On the day of birth it can be seen on English television in the play "A Midsummer Night′s Dream" and hear on the radio in the role of King Lear. In his honor was renamed the famous London theater "Globe. "

In addition, this very busy man responsible for writing, only one of Germany he sent letters to the five clubs of fans of his talent. Gilgud published four volumes of biography. "I can only write about the theater - overmodest anniversary - the rest I just do not know anything. "

In 1996, the great actor was granted the Order of Merit "as a" personal gift "Queen Elizabeth II. Curiously, the cavalry of the Order may be simultaneously more than 24 people. Now among them, in particular - Margaret Thatcher, Nelson Mandela. Place for Gilguda, who called the award "very unexpected and very honorable, vacant after the death of Sir Frank Whittle - Jet Pioneer. " In the same year, came on the screens the film "Shine" with his participation, in which 92-year-old actor has performed a major role.

In 1998, Gilgud sensational shot in the film "Elizabeth" about the life of a British court of Queen Elizabeth I.

One of the most distinguished British actor and film Gilgud Sir John died in May 2000, at the 97 th year of his life called "the last great English knight Theater.